Tertullian, The Shows, or De Spectaculis. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 3 (Roberts and Donaldson, 1885), public domain.
Passages · 30
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 1 — III. Ye Servants of God, about to draw near to God, that you may make solemn consecration of yourselves to Him, seek well to understand the condition of faith, the reasons of the Truth, the laws of Christian…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 2 — Then, again, every one is ready with the argument that all things, as we teach, were created by God, and given to man for his use, and that they must be good, as coming all from so good a source; but that among them…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 3 — Fortified by this knowledge against heathen views, let us rather turn to the unworthy reasonings of our own people; for the faith of some, either too simple or too scrupulous, demands direct authority from Scripture…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 4 — Lest any one think that we are dealing in mere argumentative subtleties, I shall turn to that highest authority of our “seal” itself. When entering the water, we make profession of the Christian faith in the words of…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 5 — In the matter of their origins, as these are somewhat obscure and but little known to many among us, our investigations must go back to a remote antiquity, and our authorities be none other than books of heathen…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 6 — To the testimony of antiquity is added that of later games instituted in their turn, and betraying their origin from the titles which they bear even at the present day, in which it is imprinted as on their very face,…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 7 — The two kinds of public games, then, have one origin; and they have common names, as owning the same parentage. So, too, as they are equally tainted with the sin of idolatry, their foundress, they must needs be like…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 8 — To follow out my plan in regard to places: the circus is chiefly consecrated to the Sun, whose temple stands in the middle of it, and whose image shines forth from its temple summit; for they have not thought it…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 9 — Now as to the kind of performances peculiar to the circus exhibitions. In former days equestrianism was practised in a simple way on horseback, and certainly its ordinary use had nothing sinful in it; but when it was…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 10 — Let us pass on now to theatrical exhibitions, which we have already shown have a common origin with the circus, and bear like idolatrous designations—even as from the first they have borne the name of “Ludi,” and…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 11 — In fulfilment of our plan, let us now go on to consider the combats. Their origin is akin to that of the games (ludi). Hence they are kept as either sacred or funereal, as they have been instituted in honour of the…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 12 — It remains for us to examine the “spectacle” most noted of all, and in highest favour. It is called a dutiful service (munus), from its being an office, for it bears the name of “officium” as well as “munus.” The…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 13 — We have, I think, faithfully carried out our plan of showing in how many different ways the sin of idolatry clings to the shows, in respect of their origins, their titles, their equipments, their places of…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 14 — Having sufficiently established the charge of idolatry, which alone ought to be reason enough for our giving up the shows, let us now ex abundanti look at the subject in another way, for the sake of those especially…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 15 — Having done enough, then, as we have said, in regard to that principal argument, that there is in them all the taint of idolatry—having sufficiently dealt with that, let us now contrast the other characteristics of…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 16 — Since, then, all passionate excitement is forbidden us, we are debarred from every kind of spectacle, and especially from the circus, where such excitement presides as in its proper element. See the people coming to…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 17 — Are we not, in like manner, enjoined to put away from us all immodesty? On this ground, again, we are excluded from the theatre, which is immodesty’s own peculiar abode, where nothing is in repute but what elsewhere…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 18 — But if you argue that the racecourse is mentioned in Scripture, I grant it at once. But you will not refuse to admit that the things which are done there are not for you to look upon: the blows, and kicks, and cuffs,…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 19 — We shall now see how the Scriptures condemn the amphitheatre. If we can maintain that it is right to indulge in the cruel, and the impious, and the fierce, let us go there. If we are what we are said to be, let us…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 20 — How vain, then—nay, how desperate—is the reasoning of persons, who, just because they decline to lose a pleasure, hold out that we cannot point to the specific words or the very place where this abstinence is…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 21 — The heathen, who have not a full revelation of the truth, for they are not taught of God, hold a thing evil and good as it suits self-will and passion, making that which is good in one place evil in another, and that…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 22 — What wonder is there in it? Such inconsistencies as these are just such as we might expect from men, who confuse and change the nature of good and evil in their inconstancy of feeling and fickleness in judgment. Why,…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 23 — Seeing, then, man’s own reflections, even in spite of the sweetness of pleasure, lead him to think that people such as these should be condemned to a hapless lot of infamy, losing all the advantages connected with…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 24 — In how many other ways shall we yet further show that nothing which is peculiar to the shows has God’s approval, or without that approval is becoming in God’s servants? If we have succeeded in making it plain that…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 25 — Seated where there is nothing of God, will one be thinking of his Maker? Will there be peace in his soul when there is eager strife there for a charioteer? Wrought up into a frenzied excitement, will he learn to be…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 26 — Why may not those who go into the temptations of the show become accessible also to evil spirits? We have the case of the woman—the Lord Himself is witness—who went to the theatre, and came back possessed. In the…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 27 — We ought to detest these heathen meetings and assemblies, if on no other account than that there God’s name is blasphemed—that there the cry “To the lions!” is daily raised against us—that from thence persecuting…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 28 — With such dainties as these let the devil’s guests be feasted. The places and the times, the inviter too, are theirs. Our banquets, our nuptial joys, are yet to come. We cannot sit down in fellowship with them, as…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 29 — Even as things are, if your thought is to spend this period of existence in enjoyments, how are you so ungrateful as to reckon insufficient, as not thankfully to recognize the many and exquisite pleasures God has…vatican.va
- The Shows, or De Spectaculis Chapter 30 — But what a spectacle is that fast-approaching advent of our Lord, now owned by all, now highly exalted, now a triumphant One! What that exultation of the angelic hosts! What the glory of the rising saints! What the…vatican.va
Scripture cited · 11 verses
Exodus 20:14 · Psalm 1:1 · Psalm 49:18 · Matthew 6:24 · Matthew 6:27 · John 16:20 · Acts 16:16 · 1 Corinthians 8:4 · 1 Corinthians 10:21 · 2 Corinthians 4:14 · Philippians 1:23